A Roman emperor, after a successful military campaign, was
returning in triumph to Rome. Great throngs filled the city
to welcome the mighty hero. While passing through one of the
crowded thoroughfares, a little girl, wild with joy, dashed
toward his chariot.

The officer stopped her and said: "That is the chariot of
the emperor, and you must not attempt to reach him."

The little one replied: "He may be
your emperor — but he is my father!" In a
moment she was not only in the chariot, but also in the arms
of her father.

It is even so with true believers. While God is the Emperor
of all men — He is that, and infinitely more, to us — He is
our Father!

"This, then, is how you should
pray:Our Father in Heaven . . ."Matthew 6:9

"He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds. He
counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great
is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is
beyond comprehension!" Psalm 147:3-5

He who counts the stars
and calls them by their names, is in no danger of forgetting
His own children! He knows your case as thoroughly as if you
were the only creature He ever made, or the only saint He
ever loved!

It is most important for us to learn, that the smallest
trifles are as much arranged by the God of Providence,
as the most startling events. He
who counts the stars — has also numbered the
hairs of our heads. Our lives and deaths are predestined —
but so, also, are our sitting down and our rising up!
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them
will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!"
Matthew 10:29-30

~
~ ~ ~

We shall only sink into the everlasting
arms!

(Author unknown)

"The eternal God is your refuge — and underneath are the
everlasting arms!" Deuteronomy 33:27

If we are held in the clasp of the everlasting arms
— we need not fear that we shall ever be separated from the
enfolding. "Underneath." They are always underneath
us. No matter how low we sink in weakness, in fainting,
in pain, in sorrow — we never can sink below these
everlasting arms. We can never drop out of their clasp!

God's love is deeper than human sorrow. Sorrow is
very deep, but still and forever, in the greatest grief —
these arms of Divine love are underneath the believing
sufferer.

God's love is deeper than death. When every earthly
support is gone from beneath us, when every human arm
unclasps and every face fades from before our eyes, and we
sink away into what seems darkness and the shadow of death —
we shall only sink into the
everlasting arms!

Drop your plummet into the deepest sea of sorrow, and at the
end of your soundings: "Underneath are the everlasting
arms!"

What abiding
consolation! What all-embracing, never-failing strength!

~
~ ~ ~

Others may, you cannot!

(George Watson, 1845-1924)

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself,
and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to
save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for
My sake will find it." Matthew 16:24-25

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus — He will draw
you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on
you such demands of obedience, that you will not be allowed
to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let
other believers do things which He will not let you do.

Others who seem to be very religious and useful, may push
themselves up to be admired, and scheme to carry out their
plans — but you cannot. If you attempt it — you will meet
with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you
sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, their work, their
successes — but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any
such thing. If you begin to do so — He will lead you into
some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself
and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of
money, or in having a legacy left to them, or in having
luxuries — but God may supply you only on a day-to-day
basis, because He wants you to have something far better
than gold — a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen
treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward — while
keeping you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce
some choice, fragrant fruit in you, which can only be
produced in the shade.

God may let others be great — but He will keep you small. He
will let others do a work for Him and get the credit — but
He will make you work and toil without others knowing how
much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more
precious, He will let others get the credit for the work
which you have done. This to teach you the message of the
Cross and humility.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a
jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings,
or for wasting your time — which other Christians
never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and
has a right to do as He pleases with His own — and that He
may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle
your reason in His dealings with you.

If you absolutely give yourself to be His slave, He will
wrap you up in a jealous love and let other Christian people
say and do many things which you cannot.

However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are
so completely possessed with the living God that you are, in
your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar,
personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of
the Holy Spirit over your life — then you will have found
the vestibule of Heaven, the high calling of God.

Character is the
product of daily, hourly actions, words and thoughts:
daily forgiveness,
daily unselfishness,
daily kindnesses,
daily sympathies,
daily charities,
daily sacrifices for the good of others,
daily struggles against temptation,
daily submissiveness under trial.
It is these, like the blending of colors in a picture —
which constitute a person's character.

~
~ ~ ~

Me last!

(J.C. Pittman, "Bible Truths Illustrated" 1917)

Among the truly popular girls I have known, one stands out
preeminently. I never knew one person who did not find her
just lovable.

Once during her Sophomore year in high school, a group of
her chums were discussing mottoes and naming their
favorites. "Hitch your wagon to a star!" and "To
the stars through difficulties!" were favored.

Turning to Jessie, someone said, "Haven't you a
motto?"

"Yes," she said; "it is this: 'Me
last!'"

"What do you mean by that?" the others asked.

"That's my motto, and I think it is a good one."

"But what does it mean?"

Then Jessie explained: "It means just what it says — 'me
last.' That is, I am to think of myself last. I am to
put everyone else ahead of me, and then can look after
myself when everybody else is taken care of."

The girls saw, and they knew that right there lay the secret
of her popularity.

"Jesus called the Twelve and said: If
anyone wants to be first — he must be the verylast,
and the servant of all."Mark 9:35

"Jesus got up from the meal, took off his
outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.
After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash
His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was
wrapped around Him.""Now that I, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet — you also should wash one
another's feet.I have
given you an example that you should do as I have
done for you." John 13:4-5,
14-15

The average pastor is no longer a powerful, plain preacher —
but a polite, polished politician!

We live in a time of big meetings, big churches, big church
buildings, big preachers, and big church budgets. The
failure or success of a church and its pastor — is judged by
the number of nickels and noses that they have. In
all too many cases, there is seen in this more Satanic
pride, than spiritual piety.

In the craze for nickels and noses churches have
replaced preachers and pastors, with puppeteers and
pranksters. The gospel of Christ has been superseded by
gimmicks, gadgets, and games. Psychology has taken the place
of Holy Spirit conviction. The faith has been displaced for
finance, fun, and foolishness. Church discipline has been
relegated to the background, in order to swell the size of
the church with religious hypocrites who might give a little
money to the church now and then.

The nickels and noses racket
has filled our churches with unconverted persons. We have
far more churchianity than Christianity. Many church members
are white-washed — but they are not blood-washed.
Their names are upon the church roll — but they are not
found in the Lamb's book of life. Many have been reformed —
but they have not been re-born. Many have been confirmed —
but they have not been converted to Christ. There are so
many lost people in our churches, that you cannot tell the
difference between a church member and the unconverted. The
reason is, because there is no difference. Both are headed
to Hell as fast as time can carry them!

It has produced icy services — and cold, callous, complacent
church members. Look at the average church! They have their
robed choir, their cut and dried program, and their
intellectual preaching. They have a beautiful edifice. They
have all the organization and rituals one could ask for —
but in most cases it is Spiritless! We have form without
reality; we have organization without power; we have
profession without possession. We have a form of godliness —
without the power of it. We have religion without life.

It has caused pastors to spend more time worrying with goats,
than feeding the sheep. The pastor nowadays must
provide a spiritual diet for people who have no spiritual
appetite. Like Ezekiel of old (Ezekiel 37:1-10), he must
preach to dead, dry bones — but without the blessings which
Ezekiel experienced. These dry, dead bones can't hear — yet
the pastor must keep preaching and pretend that someone is
listening. These dry, dead bones do not grow in grace — for
the dead do not grow. These baptized bones are in no
way sensitive to the appeals made to them from the
Scriptures by the pastor. They watch the clock on Sunday
morning, hoping the pastor will preach a short sermon so
they can soon go home and do what they really enjoy.

This idea has given us the gimmick gospel. Most
church members want to be entertained — instead of
instructed in the Word of God. They have far more
delight in the gospel of amusement — than the gospel of the
atonement. Gospel celebrities must be brought in to entertain
these worldly church members. These members love to hear
these clerical comedians who mix a few verses of Scripture
with a large amount of humor. Special singing groups must be
brought in too. These have the same dress, music, hair
style, and manners of any rock and roll group. Our church
services nowadays have become a carefully produced theatrical
production for the delight of carnal Christians and
religious rascals. The only difference between this
entertainment and that in the local nightclub, is that it
has a religious flavor! But they say it must be done to get
nickels and noses!

While there are some exceptions, most big churches are
worldly churches. They have high carnality — and low
spirituality. Truth is very scarce in such fashionable
churches, because the Word of God has been compromised to
keep nickels and noses.

~
~ ~ ~

Three inscriptions!

(J.C. Pittman, "Bible Truths Illustrated" 1917)

Over the triple doorways of a European Cathedral, there are
three inscriptions
spanning the splendid arches.

Over one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and
underneath is the lettering: "All which pleases us — is but for a moment."

Over the other arch is sculptured a cross, and there
are the words: "All which troubles us — is but for a moment."

But on the great central entrance to the main aisle, is the
inscription: "That alone is important, which is eternal."

If we always realize these three truths, we would not let trifles
trouble us;
nor would we be so much interested in the passing
pageants of the hour.
We would live, as we do not now — for the permanent and the
eternal.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal!" 2 Corinthians 4:18

~
~ ~ ~

"Giving
thanks always and for everything to God the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!" Ephesians 5:20

~ ~ ~ ~

One day, Johann Tauler of Strosbourg met a peasant and
greeted him, "God give you a good day, my friend!"

The peasant answered briskly, "I thank God that I never
have a bad day!"

The peasant replied composedly, "I thank God that I am
never unhappy!"

"Never unhappy!" cried Tauler bewildered, "What do you
mean?"

"Well," came the reply, "When it is sunshine — I thank God;
and when it rains — I thank God. When I have plenty — I
thank God; and when I am hungry — I thank God. Since God's
will is my will, and whatever pleases God pleases me — I am
never unhappy."

Tauler looked upon him with awe. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am a king!" said the peasant.

"A king?" Tauler asked, "Where is your kingdom?"

The peasant smiled and whispered softly, "In my heart!"

~
~ ~ ~

"Be
thankful in all circumstances, for this is
God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1
Thessalonians 5:18

~
~ ~ ~

In all circumstances!
This comes as a surprise when one considers the vicissitudes
of human life. Sickness and health, poverty and wealth, joy
and sorrow — are all ingredients of the cup placed to human
lips — so all must come within the scope of thanksgiving.
Why be thankful for everything? Because God causes
everything to work together for good to those who love Him.

~
~ ~ ~

A godly farmer was asked
to dine with a well-known gentleman. While there, he
asked a blessing at the table as he was accustomed
to do at home. His host said jeeringly, "That is old
fashioned; it is not customary nowadays for well-educated
people to pray before they eat."

The farmer answered that with him it was customary
— but that some of those on his farm never thanked God their
food.

"Ah, then," said the gentleman, "they are sensible and
enlightened! Who are they?"

"My pigs!" the farmer answered.

~
~ ~ ~

"Thanks
be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2
Corinthians 9:15

And did the Holy and
the Just,
The Sovereign of the skies,
Stoop down to wretchedness and dust,
That guilty worms might rise?

Yes, the Redeemer left His throne,
His radiant throne on high,
(Surprising mercy! love unknown!)
To suffer, bleed, and die!

He took the dying traitor's place,
And suffered in his stead;
For man (O miracle of grace!)
For man the Savior bled!

Dear Lord, what heavenly wonders dwell
In Your atoning blood!
By this are sinners snatched from Hell,
And rebels brought to God!

What glad return can I impart
For favors so divine?
O take my all, this worthless heart,
And make it wholly Thine! Anne Steele, 1859

~
~ ~ ~

There is a higher end in life than to be
amused!

(J.C. Pittman, "Bible Truths Illustrated" 1917)

"A man's life does not consist in the abundance of the
things that he possesses." Luke 12:15

"Implanted within us is a desire for amusement — the
entire suppression of which is as injurious, as it is
unauthorized. The Christian religion is antagonistic only to
that which is hurtful to spiritual life. It is not opposed
to wholesome amusements. It does not rob us of any pleasures
which are consistent with our eternal welfare."

"Healthy recreation should be encouraged, with one proviso —
that it never be forgotten that there
is a higher end in life than to be amused.
Care should be taken, not to suppress the desire
for amusement — but to moderate and rightly direct
it. The limitation which devotion to Christ imposes,
must ever be observed, lest pleasure be made the business
of life, instead of life's relaxation."

"The selection of fitting sources of amusement should not be
difficult. There are many such, without tampering with
questionable ones, which may prove detrimental and even
destructive to spiritual life. The question requiring
settlement is: "Am I, by the amusement in which I indulge,
being spiritually helped or hindered? Is my soul being
lifted up — or more heavily weighted down?"

"The Christian should find pleasure not only in the world's
confectionery — but chiefly in the strong meat
of the Word."

"All things are yours. Take them and use them; but never let
them interfere with the higher life which you are called on
to lead."

"A ship is all right in the sea — so long as the sea is not
in the ship. In the same way, a Christian is all right in
the world — so long as the world is not in the Christian."

The whole system of my politics
is summed up in this one verse, "The Lord reigns! Let the
nations tremble!" Psalm 99:1

The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds
grow thicker — the stupidity of the nation seems
proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant
here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He
loves His children; some are sighing and mourning before
Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their
tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom;
but I expect a shaking time before things get into a
right channel — before we are humbled, and are taught to
give Him the glory.

The state of the nation and the state of the churches
— both are deplorable! Those who should be praying —
are disputing and fighting among
themselves! Alas! how many professors are more concerned
for the mistakes of government — than for their own sins!

"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty
reigns!"Revelation 19:6

~
~ ~ ~

Short
pithy gems from the Puritan Thomas Brooks!

~ ~ ~ ~

Christian! Consider that the trials and troubles, the
calamities and miseries, the crosses and losses that you
meet with in this world — are all the Hell that ever
you shall have!

~ ~ ~ ~

There is the seed of all sins — the vilest and worst of sins
— are in the best of men!

~ ~ ~ ~

He who will play with Satan's bait — will quickly be taken
with Satan's hook!

~ ~ ~ ~

A preacher's life should be a commentary upon his doctrine.
Heavenly doctrines should always be adorned with a heavenly
life.

~ ~ ~ ~

The greatest and the hottest fires that ever were on earth
are but ice — in comparison to the fire of Hell!

~ ~ ~ ~

The two poles could sooner meet — than the love of Christ
and the love of the world.

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from Jonathan Edwards!

~ ~ ~ ~

Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs!

~ ~ ~ ~

Almost every man who hears of Hell — flatters himself that
he shall escape it.

~ ~ ~ ~

The godly are destined for inconceivable happiness!

~ ~ ~ ~

Remember that pride is the worst viper in the heart
— and the greatest disturber of the soul's peace and sweet
communion with Christ. Pride was the first sin that ever
was. Pride is the most difficult sin to root out. It is the
most hidden, secret and deceitful of all lusts. It often
insensibly creeps into the midst of religion, and sometimes
under the disguise of humility!

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from the Puritan Richard
Baxter!

~ ~ ~ ~

Nothing below Heaven is worth setting our hearts upon!

~ ~ ~ ~

Keep up a humble sense of your own faults — and that will
make you compassionate to others.

~ ~ ~ ~

Unity in things necessary,
Liberty in things unnecessary,
and Charity in all things.

~ ~ ~ ~

Speak to your people as to those who must be awakened,
either here — or in Hell!
We must screw the truth into men's minds!

~ ~ ~ ~

What we most value — we shall think no pains too great to
gain.

~ ~ ~ ~

Be of good cheer, Christian, the time is near when God and
you shall be as near as you can desire. You shall dwell
in His family! You shall then have joy without sorrow
— and rest without weariness!

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from Charles Spurgeon!

~ ~ ~ ~

If Christ has died for me — then I cannot trifle with the
sin which killed my best Friend!

~ ~ ~ ~

An ounce of heart knowledge — is worth more than a
ton of head learning!

~ ~ ~ ~

Amusement should be used to do us good 'like a
medicine." It must never be used as the food of the
man. Many have had all holy thoughts and gracious
resolutions stamped out by perpetual trifling. Pleasure, so
called, is the murderer of thought. This is the age of
excessive amusement — everybody craves for it, like a babe
for its rattle!

~ ~ ~ ~

Long ago I ceased to count heads. Truth is usually in the
minority in this evil world!

~ ~ ~ ~

Look to the cross, and hate your sin — for sin nailed your
Well-Beloved to the tree!

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from the Puritan John Owen!

~ ~
~ ~

The more I see of the glory of Christ — the more the painted
beauties of this world wither in my eyes!

~ ~ ~ ~

The seed of every sin — is in every heart!

~ ~ ~ ~

In the divine Scriptures, there are shallows and
there are deeps. Shallows where the lamb may wade — and deeps where
the elephant may swim!

~ ~ ~ ~

Never was sin seen to be more abominably sinful, than when
the burden of it was upon the shoulders of the Son of God!
Would you, then, see the true demerit of sin? Take the
measure of it from the cross of Christ!

~ ~ ~ ~

Nothing shall be lost — which is done for God or in
obedience to Him.

~ ~ ~ ~

Satan's greatest strategy is in making people think
they have plenty of time before they die to consider their
eternal welfare.

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from John Calvin!

~ ~
~ ~

Man's heart, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols!

~ ~ ~ ~

When the Bible speaks — God speaks!

~ ~ ~ ~

Nothing, including human suffering, happens by chance.

~ ~ ~ ~

No one will calmly and quietly submit to bear the cross —
except those who have learned to seek their happiness beyond
this world!

~ ~ ~ ~

Without the fear of God — men do not even observe justice
among themselves!

~ ~ ~ ~

The human heart has so many crannies where vanity hides, so
many holes where falsehood works, and is so decked out with
deceiving hypocrisy — that it often dupes itself!

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from the Puritan Richard
Sibbes!

~ ~ ~ ~

The depths of our misery — can never fall below the depths
of God's mercy.

~ ~ ~ ~

What the heart loves best — the mind studies most.

~ ~ ~ ~

It is better to go afflicted to Heaven — than merry to Hell.

~ ~ ~ ~

Poverty and affliction take away the fuel that feeds pride.

~ ~ ~ ~

Whatever God takes away from His children — He either
replaces it with a much greater favor, or else gives
strength to bear it.

~ ~ ~ ~

Sin is not so sweet in the committing of it — as it
is bitter in the reckoning of it.

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from the Puritan Matthew
Henry

~ ~ ~ ~

We cannot expect too little from man — nor
too much from God!

~
~ ~ ~

A life spent in the service of God and
communion with Him, is the most pleasant life that anyone
can live in this world.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Bible is a letter God has sent to us.
Prayer is a letter we send to Him.

~
~ ~ ~

We should take heed of pride — it
is the sin that turned angels into devils!

~ ~ ~ ~

God is either your best friend — or your
worst enemy.

~
~ ~ ~

Knowledge is vain and fruitless —
which is not reduced to practice.

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from John Newton!

~
~ ~ ~

May we sit at the foot of the cross — and
there learn . . .
what sin has done,
what justice has done,
and what love has done!

~
~ ~ ~

I am persuaded that love and humility are
the highest attainments in the school of Christ — and the
brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master!

~ ~ ~ ~

My grand point in preaching, is to break
the hard heart — and to heal the broken one!

~ ~ ~ ~

I am not what I ought to be. Ah!
How imperfect and deficient!
I am not what I wish to be. I would abhor what is
evil, and cleave to what is good.
I am not what I hope to be. Soon, soon, I shall put
off mortality — and with mortality, all sin and
imperfection.
Yet, though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I
wish to be, nor what I hope to be — I can
truly say that I am not what I once was — a slave
to sin and Satan. And I can heartily join with the apostle,
and acknowledge, "By the grace of God, I am what I am!"

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from Elizabeth Prentiss

~ ~ ~ ~

The longer I live, the more conscious I am
of my human frailty — and of the constant, overwhelming need
I have of God's grace.

~ ~ ~ ~

The thorny path bears some of the
sweetest flowers that adorn life. And when with naked,
bleeding feet we walk upon a flinty soil — we often find
diamonds!

~ ~ ~ ~

Dying grace is not usually given
until it is needed. Death, to the disciple of Jesus, is only
stepping from one room to another and far better room of our
Father's house. How little all the sorrows of the way will
seem to us, when we get to our home above.

~ ~ ~ ~

What are trials, but angels
to beckon us nearer to Him. I have lived to see that God
never was so good to me — as when He seemed most severe.

~ ~ ~ ~

In proportion to your devotion to the Savior — will be the
blessedness of your life.

~
~ ~ ~

Short
pithy gems from George Whitefield

~ ~ ~ ~

You may have orthodox heads — and yet you
may have the devil in your hearts!

~ ~ ~ ~

How sweet is rest after fatigue! How sweet
will Heaven be when our journey is ended!

~ ~ ~ ~

Be humble, talk little, think and pray
much.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Christian world is in a deep sleep!

~ ~ ~ ~

All our afflictions and all our temptations
— are to make Heaven more desirable, and earth more
loathsome!

~ ~ ~ ~

The Lord Jesus sits in Heaven, ruling over
all, and causing all things to work for His children's good.

~
~ ~ ~

Short
pithy gems from David Brainerd

~ ~ ~ ~

I love to live on the brink of eternity!

~ ~ ~ ~

Let me forget the world — and be swallowed
up in the desire to glorify God.

~ ~ ~ ~

Oh! one hour with God infinitely exceeds
all the pleasures and delights of this lower world!

~ ~ ~ ~

I have received my all from God.
Oh, that I could return my all to God!

~ ~ ~ ~

O how vain and unworthy it is to live for
any lower end than the glory of God!

~
~ ~ ~

Short
pithy gems from the Puritan Thomas Watson!

~
~ ~ ~

Eternity to the godly — is a day that has
no sunset.
Eternity to the wicked — is a night that has no sunrise.

~ ~ ~ ~

Christ is never sweet — until sin is felt to be bitter.

~ ~ ~ ~

Christ will not throw away His pearls, for every speck of
dirt!

~ ~ ~ ~

The world is a flattering enemy — it kills by embracing.
Whom the world kisses — it betrays.
Is Heaven in your eye, and Christ in your heart, and the
world under your feet?

~ ~ ~ ~

Christ shed tears — for those who
shed His blood!

~ ~ ~ ~

The pleasure of sin is soon gone —
but the sting remains!

~ ~ ~ ~

He who believes not in the blood of
the Lamb — must feel the wrath of the Lamb.

~ ~ ~ ~

Sin has the devil for its father,
shame for its companion, and death for its
wages!

~
~ ~ ~

Short
pithy gems from Arthur Pink

~
~ ~ ~

The nature of Christ's salvation is woefully misrepresented
by the present-day evangelist. He announces a Savior from Hell
— rather than a Savior from sin. And that is why so
many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish
to escape the Lake of fire — who have no desire to be
delivered from their carnality and worldliness.

~
~ ~ ~

The Bible is no lazy man's book! Much of its treasure, like
the valuable minerals stored in the recesses of the earth,
only yield up themselves to the diligent seeker. No verse of
Scripture yields its meaning to lazy people.

~
~ ~ ~

Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude — an
attitude of dependence, dependence upon God.

~
~ ~ ~

It is not the absence of sin, but the grieving over
it — which distinguishes the child of God from empty
professors.

~
~ ~ ~

Instead of a river, God often gives us a brook, which may be
running today and dried up tomorrow. Why? To teach us not to
rest in our blessings — but in the Blesser
Himself!

~
~ ~ ~

Short pithy gems from J.R. Miller

~ ~ ~ ~

Christ is building His kingdom with earth's
broken things.

Men want only the strong, the
successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their
kingdoms. But God is the God of the unsuccessful,
of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's
broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ
cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty.
He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow — and make it
into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift
earth's saddest failure — up to Heaven's glory!

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It is impossible to estimate full influence
of the reading of the Word in a home day after day and year
after year. It filters into the hearts of the young. It is
absorbed into their souls. It colors all their thoughts. It
is wrought into the very fiber of their minds. It imbues
them with its own spirit. It's holy teachings become the principles
of their lives, which rule their conduct and shape all their
actions.